April 12th.—Warm and cloudy. Gen. Weitzel publishes an order to-day, requiring all ministers who have prayed for the President of the Confederate States to pray hereafter for the President of the United States. He will not allow them to omit the prayer.
In answer to my application for permission to take my family to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where among their relations and friends shelter and food may be had, Brevet Brig.-Gen. Ludlow indorsed: “Disallowed—as none but loyal people, who have taken the oath, are permitted to reside on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.” This paper I left at Judge Campbell’s residence (he was out) for his inspection, being contrary in spirit to the terms he is represented to have said would be imposed on us.
At 1½ P.M. Another 100 guns were fired in Capitol Square, in honor, I suppose, of the surrender of Johnston’s army. I must go and see.
Captain Warner is still in prison, and no one is allowed to visit him, I learn. ,
Three P.M. Saw Judge Campbell, who will lay my paper before the military authorities for reconsideration to-morrow. He thinks they have acted unwisely. I said to him that a gentleman’s word was better than an enforced oath—and that if persecution and confiscation are to follow, instead of organized armies we shall have bands of assassins everywhere in the field, and the stiletto and the torch will take the place of the sword and the musket—and there can be no solid reconstruction, etc. He says he told the Confederate States authorities months ago that the cause had failed, but they would not listen. He said he had telegraphed something to Lieut.-Gen. Grant to-day.
The salute some say was in honor of Johnston’s surrender— others say it was for Lee’s—and others of Clay’s birthday.
